1. Don’t fall for manipulative advertising.
I think that impulsive buying is just about the easiest way to spend money during the holidays (aside from your 1 year old’s knack for hitting that “1-click buy” button on Amazon!). Yes, that giant “ONE DAY SALE” sign is tempting, but how “on sale” is it, really? And did you know that MOST of the larger companies (especially department stores and big brands), have a “one day sale” nearly every day of the week? Beware of advertising created to give you a sense of urgency, most of the time they are just trying to see how fast they can get that cash out of your wallet!
2. Always go in armed with extra discounts.
There are so many “extra” ways to save money! Always check for store coupons (either printable or in-ad), before you leave the house. If you are doing online shopping, ALWAYS check for cashback bonuses. VISA and AMEX regularly have their own offers available, or you can save even more by going through Ebates or Swagbucks. If you don’t already have an Ebates account, it’s FREE to join and you can sign up with my referral link to get a $10 CASH bonus.
3. Know your bottom line (or dollar).
Spend some time researching prices ahead of time so you have an idea of how much you want – or are willing – to spend. Many blogs and websites archive deals from years past so you can search for a particular item to see how low the price has gone. I usually go in with a small price range in mind and will buy the product once it falls in that range. I do think it’s important to give yourself some range though, otherwise you might miss out on a truly GOOD deal just because it’s 7 cents higher than it was last year.
4. Don’t spend all of your money (or your time) on “Black Friday.”
Sure, there are good deals to be had, but there are often even better deals coming as we get closer to Christmas. Driving around in circles and standing in line for hours only wastes gas and might just give you a few more gray hairs. Instead, go out and do something FUN with your family and enjoy those turkey leftovers! Besides, there’s always Cyber Monday…
5. And on that note, DO spend all of your money (or at least a chunk of it) on “Small Business Saturday.”
I think that it is so important to support the “little guys” on every day of the year, but if they want to make a big deal of it the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, why not? AMEX is no longer offering a statement credit (boo!), but you can still find some great deals at the local mom and pop stores (my favorite are the consignment!), and it’s worth it for that warm, fuzzy feeling you get knowing that your money was well-spent.
Unleashing SuperMom 